Herbert p



(ModeL) H. P. PRBVEAR. Construction of- Combs and other Articles of Hornand Shell.

Patented Dec. 14,1880.-

vNo, 235,571.

2/ n m m i h Y .5 w S N T I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

W. D. EARL & 00.,

OF SAME PLACE.

CONSTRUCTION OF COMBS AND OTHER ARTICLES OF HORN AND SHELL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 235,571, dated December14, 1880,

Application filed July 14, 1880. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, HERBERT P. PREVEAR, of Leominster, in the county ofWorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented an 1m provement inthe Construction of Combs and other Articles of Horn and Shell; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full and exact descriptionthereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making partof this specification.

Figure l is a front view of a ladys backcomb constructed with myimprovement; Fig. 2, a corresponding view of the body of the combwithout the balls used therewith as ornaments; Fig. 3, a central sectionof one of the balls; Fig. 4, a partial section of the comb, showing themode of attaching the balls to the comb-body.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all of the figures.

My improvement is applicable to horn and shell combs, or combs made of amaterial that will soften and become flexible when heated, and againbecome rigid when of the ordinary temperature; and the improvementconsists in the method of securing the balls or other parts made ofseparate pieces and attached to the comb, substantially as hereinafterspecified.

By the usual mode of attaching these ornaments a piece of screw-wire isemployed, screwing into the comb and into the balls, if of the samematerial as the comb. This mode, besides being somewhat expensive, isnot strong nor secure, since the balls frequently become detached andlost.

By my improved method the comb is first shaped by cutting or sawing, soas to form semicircular or other scalloped form of de-- pressions a a inthe edge or top of the comb, where the ornaments are to be applied, andon opposite sides of each depression are formed projections b 1),extending toward each other, as indicated in the drawings, and shaped toenter suitable holes in the balls or ornaments to receive them.

On the other part, each ball or other form, B, of ornament is formedwith two holes or cavities, c 0, in opposite, or nearly, opposite, sidesthereof, and of a size and shape to admit the projections I) b of thecomb-body A. These balls or ornaments may be of the samematerial as thecomb-body, or otherwise, as desired.

Thus previously formed, the parts are united in the following manner:The points I) b of the comb-body are softened by heat till they becomequite flexible and can be readily bent out of their normal position.They are then bent aside (one or both) till they can admit .the ball orornament B between them, and

are then sprung or straightened into the holes 0 0 thereof. When thematerial is again cooled these projections become rigid, and firmly andsecurely hold the balls or ornaments.

The method is cheap, as well as strong and durable, and makes a comb ofgood appearance.

This mode of attaching parts ,or uniting them, when made of a materialcapable of softening under heat, is not necessarily confined to theseparticular combs and comb ornaments, and it may be applied under similarcircumstances in constructing and uniting the parts of other articles ofsuch materials, and it is not essential to the invention which part hasthe projections and which the receiving holes or cavities.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. The method herein described of securing attachable parts to thebodies of combs and other articles of horn, shell, or similar material,which consists in forming projections pointing toward each other'on onepart, and corresponding holes or cavities in the other part, thensoftening the projections by heat and bending aside the same, and theninserting them in the holes of the other part by straightening theprojections back into their natural position, substantially as and forthe purpose herein specified.

2. A horn or shell comb having balls or other ornamental parts B B,partially sunk in depressions a a of the comb-body A, and held in placeby projections 11 12, formed on the body and inserted into cavities inopposite sides of the said ornamental parts, substantially as hereinspecified.

The foregoing specification signed by me this 14th day of June, 1880.

HERBERT P. PREVEAR.

Witnesses O. H. MERRIAM, O. T. TENNEY.

